


sunbeams

by ohsailor



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 90s AU, Gifts, Insomnia, M/M, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 05:23:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17419880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohsailor/pseuds/ohsailor
Summary: Harry is the new neighbour suffering from insomnia. Louis is the night nurse across the hall trying to find ways to help him sleep. They find one that works.





	sunbeams

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the lovely mods of the 1dshortficfest for all your hard work!! Writing this was such a joy.
> 
> Thank you, Kayla / [@hazkaban](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazkaban/)  
> , best friend, and beta extraordinaire for pushing me to sign up for this and dragging me out of my writing hiatus. 
> 
> This work is completely fictionalized. No affiliation with the people mentioned. 

“Shit.”

Harry stumbled forward, barely catching himself as his foot caught on the top step, the cardboard box in hand slipping from his grasp and landing with a thud against the red carpet. He brushed a sweaty strand of hair off his face, cursing his decision to wear a turtleneck as he checked his watch.

2:39 am. Perfect. By his count, it had only taken a grand total of two hours and what felt like several hundred flights up the creaking staircase to move all his belongings into the new flat.

“You need to work out more,” he muttered to himself, breathing heavily against the wall and kicking the box the rest of the way towards his door where it collided heavily against the stacks of boxes already there.

Harry had only begun to dig through his jean pockets for his key when the click of a door paired with a soft voice startled him out of his thoughts.

“Morning.”

Harry jumped, nearly tripping over the mountain of boxes as he whipped around and came face to face with his new neighbour. His new, _extremely_ attractive neighbor, whom he had most definitely woken up, judging by his plaid dressing gown and the simple fact that it was the middle of the fucking night.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I’ve woken you, haven’t I?”

“Well.” The man shrugged, a sleepy smile spreading across his face.

Harry winced. “God, I am so sorry. I’m an idiot...the stairs...and the boxes?” He gestured vaguely towards the pile of boxes sheepishly. “I tripped. I’m sorry. My last boyfriend did tell me I was a great clumsy oaf.”

“Not very nice of him.” The man said, rubbing his sleep-soft blue eyes.

“Yeah he was a bit of a dick come to think of it,” Harry said, stretching his hand forward. “I’m Harry. Your new neighbour. And sorry. Again. For waking you.”

“Nice to meet you, Harry. New neighbour, the clumsy oaf. I’m Louis.”  He looked amused. “Can I ask you a question?”

Harry nodded. “Sure.”

“Why are you moving all your stuff in at this most delicate hour of,” Louis squinted at his watch. “2:52 am. Wow. ”

“I don’t sleep much.” Harry shrugged. “At least not during the night, like, ever. I’m a bartender so I work late. Sleep all day.”

“Like a vampire.”

“A bit like that I reckon, yeah.” Harry grinned. “Except like, less creepy? And not as pale.”

“Glad we cleared that up.”

They stood in silence for a moment, Harry shifting awkwardly on his feet.

“So,” Louis said. “Why can’t you sleep?”

“Why?” Harry repeated.

“I’m a bit nosy,” Louis grinned. “My last boyfriend told me.”

Harry grinned back. “I like that in a new neighbour,” he said. “To answer your question, I dunno, really. I’ve always had sleeping problems. Even as a kid.”

Louis hummed. “Poor thing.”

“Once at summer camp when I was 9,” Harry rattled on, “I had a nightmare involving spiders. They were crawling everywhere and only seemed to get bigger when I tried to squash them.” He paused. “Anyway, when I woke up, I was naked and running around the cabin shrieking about spiders, waking everyone up.” Harry looked up to see Louis’ expression, something between amusement and horror tugging on his lips. “Not that I do that anymore. Run around naked and wake people up,” He said quickly. “Well, besides tonight. And I mean, obviously not naked...” Harry closed his mouth abruptly.

“Noted,” Louis said, his smile stretching into a wide yawn.

Harry winced. “God. You should get back to bed. I’m so sorry. Sleep, please,” he begged.

“S’alright,” Louis replied. “Honestly, I have to be up for work in a bit anyway.”

“Work?” Harry repeated. “At three in the morning?”

“Well, not quite,” Louis said. “I’m gone by a quarter to five most mornings though. Have to get to the hospital in Thornton Heath before six. Takes ages.”

“What do you do there?”

“I’m a nurse. Babies.”

“Brilliant. I _love_ babies.”

Louis smiled. “Me too.”

“Well. I better get these moved.” Harry nodded towards the mountainous pile of boxes.“Let you crack on with your day. It was nice to meet you, Louis. Sorry again. Really.”

Louis chuckled. “Don’t be sorry. And don’t hurt yourself on those stairs, yeah?”

“Quite handy having a medical professional across the way though. You know, just in case.”

Louis laughed. “Just in case.”

*

Harry was halfway down the sidewalk on his way to work when he realized he’d forgotten his wallet. Most unfortunate timing as he was already leaving ten minutes later than he had planned. This was due in part to Harry’s general lack of time management skills but also because he spent the wee hours of the morning wandering about his new neighbourhood **.** Harry liked the peacefulness of London in the middle of the night. The usual hustle and bustle of the city slowed down and the soft sounds and stillness of the city grounded Harry, made him feel less alone. After discovering a new cafe a couple blocks away, Harry had watched the sunrise on the steps of his building, the warmth of his coffee cup pressed between his palms and his cd walkman tucked in his pockets, before stumbling into bed and finally falling asleep by mid-morning.

Now, it was nearly five and Harry was officially going to be late for work.

He dashed back up the treacherous staircase, stopping short in front of his door where a brown paper bag sat tucked to the side of his mat. Had that been there the whole time?

Reaching inside the bag, Harry pulled out a small cardboard box of plasters and a small handful of tea bags. Taped to the side of the box was a note with neat, slanted handwriting. A slow smile spread across Harry's face as he read.

 _just in case x Louis  
_ _ps. this tea helps me relax when I can’t sleep. Sorry for the lack of box these are my last three._

There was a small, rather poorly drawn sketch of a tall stick person with messy chin-length hair and a huge mouth, holding a cup of tea. Harry opened his door, placing the brown bag inside before grabbing his wallet and folding the note into his back pocket. If there was an upside to insomnia, Harry thought, handwritten notes from the cute boy across the hall must be it.

Harry read the note again as he made his way back outside, Louis’ silly stick figure drawing smiling at him. Grinning, he took off down the street at a sprint. It was now ten after five and Harry would have to run the whole way to work to make it on time. He didn’t even care.

*

4:23 am.

Harry closed his book and set it on the coffee table. Yawning, he stood up to stretch. Louis should be leaving for work anytime now and Harry was determined not to chicken out this time. It had been five days since Louis had left the note outside his door and as he had told Harry the day they met, Louis left for work promptly at 4:45 each morning. Their building being as old as it was, the sound of doors opening and closing, keys jiggling and locks clicking all carried across the hallway. Harry knew not thanking Louis for his kind gesture was a major dickhead move but every time Harry looked at Louis’ note with his dumb stick figure drawing, the warm and fuzzy feeling in his belly quickly melted into nervous butterflies. It wasn’t just that Louis was beautiful and kind and spent his days working with tiny humans. It was just...all of those things all at once.

Across the hall, the faint sound of a door creaking open, followed by the distinct high voice of a man muttering under his breath drew Harry from his thoughts. He glanced at his watch. 4:32 am. Louis was early today.

Before he could talk himself out of it and certainly before he could decide on something clever to say in greeting, Harry sprang across the room and flung the door open, finding himself almost nose to nose with a very startled Louis.

“What the-”

“Morning!” Harry said brightly.

Louis placed his hand against his chest. “Blimey, you almost gave me a heart attack.”

“Sorry.” Harry shuffled in the doorframe, eyes scanning down Louis’ frame. He was dressed in blue scrubs almost the same shade as his eyes and a brown corduroy jacket that made his hair shine golden even in the dim hallway light.

“Guess you’re wondering why I’m hanging outside your door like a creeper at four thirty in the morning,” Louis blushed.

Actually, Harry hadn’t been. Considering he himself had been actively listening to Louis leave for work each morning this week, he hardly thought he was in a position to judge.

“Fancied a little morning chat?” Harry asked.

“I just. Figured you’d be awake.”

“Here I am. Awake.”

“What do you do most nights?” Louis asked curiously.

“Walk around. Grab a coffee. Listen to music. Read. Watch films.”

“Always by yourself?”

Harry smirked. “Is there an insomniac’s club meeting I’m missing out on?”

“I was just thinking,” Louis said. “It must get lonely.”

“Sometimes,” Harry said. “Tonight’s okay. Picked up a new book in Notting Hill yesterday. Lots of good characters to keep me company.”

Louis smiled at that. “What are you reading?”

“ _The Secret History_. It’s only just come out, one of the booksellers recommended it.”

“I’ll add it to my list,” Louis said.

“It’s brilliant so far. I’ll lend you my copy when I’ve finished if you like?”

“That’d be great, cheers.”

“Thanks for the tea,” Harry blurted. “I’ve been meaning to say. Thank you. For the tea.”

Louis smiled. “You’re welcome for the tea.”

“And for the plasters. And the note. It was uh, nice. Very neighbourly of you.”

“Well,” Louis said. “I’m very neighbourly. All my neighbours say so.”

“Really?”

“No,” Louis laughed.

“Oh.” Harry smiled, shifting to pull Louis’ note out of his pocket before he could think better of it. “I liked the drawing as well,” he waved the paper in Louis’ line of sight. “You’re quite the artist.”

Louis snatched the note from Harry’s hand. “Wouldn’t be having a go at me, would you Harry?”

“Me? Never. Simply admiring your technique,” Harry said.

“What can I say, it’s a gift,” Louis smiled. “I’d better get going. Gonna have to leg it to the tube.”

Harry looked down at the note, mouth automatically forming a smile. “You really reckon that’s what I look like?”

Louis gave a small chuckle, blue eyes roaming Harry up and down before he turned to head down the stairs. “Those long locks?” He said, now gazing over his shoulder.  “And that big dopey smile? Uncanny.”

*

Over the next couple of weeks, Harry continued to find brown paper bags from Louis placed on his mat, each containing something to aid his sleep. There had been a mix tape containing soothing music, a lavender candle with the wick almost burned out, and Harry’s favourite, an aerobics videotape from the 80s (that Louis claimed was his mum’s) to tire him out. Louis even included one of his old chemistry textbooks, writing that perhaps Harry would find it so boring it would put him to sleep. As they were each accompanied by a handwritten note and drawing, Harry now had quite the collection that he kept on his fridge.

In return, Harry placed books, films, and CDs outside Louis’ door, all his favourite things that kept him company at night, starting with his copy of _The Secret History_.

1:47 am.

It was Sunday and a particularly damp and gloomy London night that discouraged Harry from his usual coffee stroll. Something about his flat had felt too empty even with the company of his book, so instead Harry dragged his worn afghan blanket out into the landing of the hall to curl up beside the radiator. His mind firmly planted in the prose of Patti Smith, Harry didn’t even hear the creaking door or soft footsteps beside him until the warm weight of another human pressed against his side.

“Louis,” Harry looked up in surprise.

“Hi,” Louis said softly.

“What are you doing here?” Harry said, closing his book and tucking it to the side.

“Can’t sleep.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Have you tried counting sheep? I heard that works really well.”

“Clearly,” Louis laughed. “I guess I was just thinking of you. Wondering if you were asleep, what you might be doing.”

Harry’s skin prickled despite the warm heat of the radiator. “You were?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” Harry looked at Louis, the way his hair lay messily across his forehead, one rogue tendril of golden hair falling over his pale blue eye. “I was thinking of you too, actually.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I was feeling lonely tonight and I started thinking of your notes and the music and just everything I guess. It’s been nice. Having them. Having you. ”

Louis didn’t answer for a moment, the hum of the radiator the only sound between the two men.

“Harry?”

“Hm?”

“Do you wanna come in?” Louis stood up, reaching a hand out to Harry before he could even answer.

Harry let himself be lead, the warmth of Louis’ hand pressed against his palm, pulling him through the open flat door, closing them both inside, their hands still intertwined as Louis gently pressed Harry against the door. Louis’ hands were on him then, his fingertips gliding up his arms and over his chest, his thumb pressing up the side of Harry’s throat and settling on his jaw, mouths so close together that Harry could feel Louis’ soft breath on his chin.

“Louis,” he whispered.

Louis’ lips pressed against his own, slow and sweet, Harry flat against the door as he wrapped his arms around Louis’ frame, pulling him closer and closer.

“You’re so beautiful,” Harry said between kisses. “The most beautiful human I’ve ever met.”

“Impossible,” Louis breathed, lips ghosting down Harry’s neck, across his collarbone and then they were moving. Louis pulling Harry towards his bed and backing him closer and closer until they both landed among the soft sheets, their skin hot against one another as it met.

*

6:04 am.

The sky was orange outside, the soft morning light catching on Harry’s curls where he lay nestled against Louis. Harry reached a hand out to trace the harsh red numbers on Louis’ clock radio before closing his eyes again, his nose buried against the collar of Louis’ sleep shirt, his whole body relaxing as he let the sweet scent wash over him. Louis shuffled beside him, pulling Harry into his chest. They stayed that way, chest to chest, quiet breathing synching them together until the last thing Harry felt was Louis’ breath against his ear, whispering sweet dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so very much for reading!!! It means so much to me xx  
> [reblog the post here](http://coffeehazza.tumblr.com/post/183577797603/coffeehazza-sunbeams-by-ohsailor-harry-is-the)  
> playlist:  
> you’re all I need to get by - aretha franklin   
> alive - goldfrapp   
> runaway - the national   
> into the shape of your heart - wintersleep  
> crash into me - dave Matthews band   
> Home - gabrielle aplin  
> all through the night - sleeping at last   
> you got it - Roy Orbison   
> gold - wake owl   
> tupelo honey - van morrison


End file.
